24-hour substance abuse textline launches on the Mid-Shore

The region’s first substance abuse information textline launched today on the Mid-Shore, offering an anonymous way for people to get information about treatment 24-hours a day.

The pilot project is the first of its kind and operates in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne and Talbot counties. Anyone can text IWIK to 71441 and within minutes will connect with a call center operator. Texters can ask questions and get information anonymously or provide contact information and have a treatment specialist follow-up for further help.

This new platform operates year-round — including nights, weekends and holidays when most substance use disorder services are closed.

Funded through the Mid-Shore Opioid Misuse Prevention Program (OMPP) as part of its media campaign titled, ‘I Wish I Knew’ (IWIK), the textline aims to reduce barriers to treatment and help people understand the treatment process.

“Our team has spent several years researching the opioid crisis here on the Mid-Shore, and we consistently found that people had a hard time getting information on treatment and often didn’t know how to start the process,” said Erin Hill, coordinator for the Mid-Shore OMPP. “We know that the younger demographic prefers texting over phone calls, so we knew this pilot program could really help connect people with life-saving services.”

The Mid-Shore OMPP is a partnership between the health departments of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne and Talbot. The OMPP team consists of prevention and treatment professionals from each health department, along with a dedicated OMPP coordinator for each county.

The Mid-Shore OMPP also includes a community coalition of more than 100 members including law enforcement, judges, healthcare industry representatives, concerned Mid-Shore residents and more. If you’re interested in joining the coalition, please contact Hill at erin.hill@maryland.gov

The project is funded through Maryland’s Behavioral Health Administration and SAMHSA.

The Mid-Shore Opioid Misuse Prevention Program (OMPP) is comprised of health departments, organizations and agencies in all five Mid-Shore counties: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. The program is the first collaboration of its kind and focuses on preventing opioid misuse and abuse. The program is supported by SAMHSA and the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration. I Wish I Knew is the program’s media campaign.